Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
Roisin Clear, a mixed race disabled journalist, writes that she knows why representation matters. Growing up, she longed for a role model on screen and wondered whether she could work in the media because she rarely saw anyone like her. Feeling seen, she writes, is part of feeling that you belong. So she welcomes Fresh Cuts, ITV’s strand of new unscripted programmes, now in its fourth year, made for Black History Month and UK Disability History Month by production companies led by People of Colour or by Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent creatives. It is the same principle behind making content accessible from the start.
This year there are six programmes of 22 minutes, paid for by ITV’s £80 million Diversity Commissioning Spend. In Convo has broadcaster Ras Kwame in honest conversation with Dawn Butler MP, Charlene White and other guests. Say Less! is a sketch show fronted by Black British comedians. Union Black explores how Black Britons of African and of Caribbean heritage see one another, from rivalry to shared pride. The Re-Store pairs sneaker restoration with personal stories. Commissioner Nahrein Kemp calls the results “joyful, provocative and unmissable.”
Two programmes put disability at the centre. In Blind Matchmakers, hosted by Lucy Edwards, three Blind dating experts guide influencers, some Blind and some sighted, through the ups and downs of dating. Creator Jessica Mitchell says the show questions assumptions about love, attraction and who gets to spot the warning signs. In Play Time, neurodivergent primary school children write an original play that leading actors and comedians perform that same evening. Director Céin McGillicuddy, who is autistic, says it raises the visibility of autistic and neurodivergent children on screen.
Seeing ourselves on screen tells us that we belong. Clear has learned to be proud of her identity in a world that is not built for People with Disabilities, and she is glad to see disabled talent in the spotlight. She also writes that it is important to keep pushing for more. New episodes came out each week from 6 October, on ITVX and on YouTube. Disabled viewers can take part only when programmes like these carry captions and audio description.
We should invite People with Disabilities and People of Colour to lead and tell their own stories in our media, events and publications. We should add captions and audio description to every video we share. Keeping up the push for authentic representation, year after year, would move us toward Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities for People with Disabilities.
When People with Disabilities see themselves on screen, they see that they belong.
Read the Full Article: Why ITV's 'unmissable' 6-part series is the authentic representation we need.
By: Roisin Clear
Questions for Reflection
- Roisin Clear rarely saw anyone like her on screen growing up. Whom do the disabled young people in our community see?
- Who tells the stories in our publications, videos and events, and who is missing?
- Do the videos we share carry captions and audio description?
- Blind Matchmakers puts Blind people in the role of experts. Where do we treat People with Disabilities as the experts?
- What would it take for us to keep pushing for representation, year after year?
